1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a furniture unit, and more particularly to a support structure for a piece of furniture.
2. Background Description
In the furniture industry, it is necessary to provide a support structure for the piece of furniture being manufactured. For example, a chair includes a frame on which the seat and seatback are mounted, and a bed includes a frame on which the mattress and box spring are placed. A bed frame is typically made up of four posts, one located at each corner of the mattress, with the posts being connected by side rails. Cross members along the length of the bed are then used to span the gap between the side rails, and the mattress and box spring are placed on top of the cross members. A decorative headboard and footboard may also be provided for ornamental purposes. The headboard and footboard may be formed either separately from or integral with the bed frame itself. As another example, in some chairs, the leg members, which are analogous to bed posts, are connected by side members, which can be analogized to bed side rails. The seat is placed on top of the chair frame created by the leg and side members. When properly assembled, the joints between the members will be secure and neatly finished.
Over time and with use, however, the connection between the side members and the post members begins to loosen and otherwise degrade. Though still structurally sound and capable of supporting a load, the slack developing in the joints will cause the piece of furniture to wobble slightly, which may make the occupant physically uncomfortable. This movement may further cause an undesirable aesthetic effect on the furniture, as a piece of furniture with a small gap between its components is unattractive and unsightly by comparison to a well finished, newly assembled product. The movement may also cause the finish of the piece of furniture to become marred as various parts rub against one another. In addition, squeaking or creaking noises may be caused as the components move with respect to one another.
To avoid or remedy these problems, the owner must periodically inspect the joints on the piece of furniture and make adjustments as necessary. Where an appropriate adjustment is impossible, for example, where a screw has become stripped, the owner will be required to replace parts entirely. This becomes both time consuming and expensive. Additionally, a simple repair may even be impossible, as there may be no user-serviceable connection between the members. In most cases, with current industry standard hooks, no adjustments can be made by the consumer to alleviate movement in the bed. In these cases, the owner will be forced to purchase an entirely new piece of furniture or perform a difficult and lengthy reconstruction of the damaged piece.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a furniture support system that has improved durability and stability over existing furniture support systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a furniture support system that is simple to manufacture and assemble.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a furniture support system that will substantially eliminate slack in its joints over time.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a single furniture support system adaptable to multiple different pieces of furniture.
To achieve these objects, there is provided a furniture support system generally including a first frame member, for example a bed post, a second frame member, for example a bed rail, at least one pin inserted into the first frame member, and at least one fastener inserted into the second frame member. The fastener is engageable with the pin via an eyelet in the pin so as to secure first and second frame members together at a substantially right angle.
The pin is inserted into the first frame member through a bore, and the fastener is inserted into the second frame member through a channel. One end of the fastener is located within a recessed portion of the second frame member, while the other end is inserted into the first frame member through a cross-bore that intersects the bore at a substantially right angle. The eyelets on the pin are substantially aligned with the cross-bores such that the end of the fastener inserted into the first frame member can engage the eyelet. A perimeter of the recess may be surrounded by a reinforcing ring having a hole substantially aligned with the channel, and a reinforcing plate having a hole generally corresponding to the recess may optionally be attached to the second frame member. Corresponding dowel holes may also be provided on the first and second frame members to facilitate proper alignment of the members prior to securing them together. Additionally, multiple bores, pins, cross-bores, dowel holes, recesses, and fasteners may be provided in order that the furniture support system may be used for different types of furniture (e.g., different sizes of mattress).